Search form

Search form

Most people will soon watch television on an Internet-connected TV set or through a set-top box tied into the Internet, according to Roku CEO Anthony Wood. He noted that Roku-ready TV models will be rolled out at the 2013 International CES. "We think there's a huge opportunity to expand our platform from streaming players, where we're a leader today, into TVs," Wood said in this interview.

Related Summaries

For 2013, LG Electronics is expanding the number of high-definition televisions it offers with Google TV technology. The new GA 7900 and GA 6400 series, together with LG's Magic remote control, will provide voice navigation of channels. Premium models in the two lines will have company's Cinema Screen feature.

In the new year, smartphones and tablet computers won't be the only markets for wireless connectivity chips. ABI Research forecasts that more than 5 billion wireless chips will be shipped in 2013, with many of them going into cameras, refrigerators and even lightbulbs. "While the base market is primarily things that we know, like smartphones and tablets, the growth is for the Internet of Things. ... Those devices are growing very quickly," ABI's Peter Cooney said.

Subscription video-on-demand services, such as HBO GO and Hulu Plus, are important to the continued success of Roku's set-top boxes, CEO Anthony Wood says. He emphasized the importance of the Roku Streaming Stick, which plugs into Internet-connected television sets, and how the company sees itself as an industry partner to providers of cable and satellite TV.

Anthony Wood, CEO of Roku, says the cable television industry realizes that it has to adapt to the world of online video, but services such as HBO GO and Hulu Plus aren't giving consumers enough of the flexibility and freedom to watch content in all the ways they want. Roku forecasts that it will sell 19 million of its media boxes by 2015 or 2016, while focusing on Internet-connected TVs this year, according to Wood.

Roku has introduced the Streaming Stick, a device that plugs into the HDMI port of Internet-connected televisions. The device, which looks like a USB flash drive, provides the functionality of a Roku media box in a smaller format and will go on sale in the second half of this year.